Virginia hopes to rebound and match 2023 win total on the road vs. Coastal Carolina

Virginia (2-1) at Coastal Carolina (3-0), Saturday, 2 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

BetMGM College Football Odds: Virginia by 3.5 points.

Series record: First meeting.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Virginia is looking to continue its strong start and match its win total from last year in a difficult place to play in Coastal Carolina. The Cavaliers lost to former Atlantic Coast Conference member Maryland, 27-13, last week. The Chanticleers are trying for their first win over an ACC team. The only other such game in program history was a 49-3 loss at Clemson in 2009.

KEY MATCHUP

Virginia QB Anthony Colandrea against Coastal Carolina’s secondary. Colandrea has had three 300-yard games passing and 10 200-yard games passing in his time with the Cavaliers. The Chanticleers are allowing almost 200 yards a game through the air and opponents have four passing TDs this season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Virginia: WR Malichi Fields has been the Cavaliers most reliable pass catcher this year with 20 receptions and 284 yards. He’s yet to break through with a TD after five touchdown catches in 2023.

Coastal Carolina: QB Ethan Vasko has taken over as starter after Grayson McCall transferred to N.C. State. Vasko has thrown for 512 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in the Chants’ perfect start.

FACTS & FIGURES

Coastal Carolina looks to go 4-0 for the fourth time in the past five seasons. … Virginia was originally set to play on Coastal’s “Surf Turf” teal field in November 2022. But that contest was canceled due to a tragic shooting that killed three members of the Cavaliers football team and wounded a fourth. … Coastal Carolina has won three games against power conference teams in the past five seasons, the last a 49-22 victory over Kansas of the Big 12 in 2021. … Virginia will be on the road against a non-power conference school for the first time since 2021 when they visited BYU. … The Cavaliers streak of nine-straight games with a 100-yard receiver came to end last week in the loss to Maryland. … Coastal Carolina is one of just two teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision with three defensive touchdowns this season. Arizona State is the other. … Virginia, with 10 penalties through three games, is the ACC’s least-penalized team and ranks sixth nationally.

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